Display carton



Aug. 11, 1953 c. J. LANGFORD DISPLAY CARTON Filed NOV. 4, 1949 Cary J La'nyfor-d .3 mm.m%

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1953 DISPLAY CART ON Gary J. Langford, White Bear Lake, Minn., as-

signor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn a corporation of Minnesota Application November 4, 1949, Serial No. 125,439

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in display carton construction wherein it is desired to provide a simple and effectiv means of removing the contents of a display carton.

The use of cartons covered by a transparent wrapping material has become common during recent years. Cartons have been constructed having open tops or openings in various portions thereof. These cartons have often been wrapped with a transparent wrapping to permit the contents of the carton to be viewed. Due to the toughness of the transparent film used, it is sometimes diflicult to break open the cartons so as to remove the contents therefrom.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a carton having a cellophane covering for enclosing the contents while still displaying the same and in the provision of a means of easily removing the contents. This means comprises a potential opening defined by weakened lines of separation which may be opened up to permit the contents of the package to be removed. The structure is so arranged that the contents may be removed without removing the transparent covering, thereby avoiding much of the difficulty previously experienced.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a carton having a cellophane covering which extends over a major portion of the carton, but leaves one of the walls of the carton uncovered. Such a carton is illustrated in general in the application of Paul A. Schilling, Serial No. 13,547, filed March 8, 1949. In an uncovered panel of the carton I provide an opening defined by perforated lines and score lines. By severing the carton stock along the perforated lines, the opening may be opened so as to gain access to the interior of the carton.

A feature of the present invention lies in the use of the score lines normally provided for hingedly connecting the opening flaps to the remainder of the carton. The uncovered portion of the panel is connected to the remaining panels of the carton along lines of fold. The opening is provided between these lines of fold. Thus in order to provide the potential opening it is only necessary to provide a pair of perforated lines connecting the two lines of fold and a third perforated line connecting the first two perforated lines. Such a structure defines two opening flaps which may hinge apart when the carton stock is separated along the lines of perforation.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a potential opening which is located immediately beneath one of the articles within the carton. Display cartons have been made for containing a series of separate vegetables, such as tomatoes. My carton opening is located im-' mediately below one of the tomatoes of the series so that when the carton stock is separated along the perforated lines, one of the tomatoesmay drop out immediately. The other tomatoes within the carton may be slid into position above the opening so as to drop therefrom.

These and other objects and novel features 01' my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claim.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton of the general type which I prefer to employ.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the construc tion shown in Figure 1 showing the opening in open position.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing a carton blank of which the carton is formed.

The carton A includes a blank best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings and a transparent covering sheet comprising cellophane or other transparent sheet material. The blank includes a bottom panel H) which is hingedly connected along parallel fold lines I l and I2 to side panels l3 and I4. The ends of the bottom ID are connected along parallel fold lines I5 and It to end walls H and I9 respectively. The end walls are connected along parallel fold lines 20 and 2| to top flanges 22 and 23 respectively. The end panels I! are connected along continuations of the fold lines H and I2 to locking tabs 24 and 25. The end wall I!) is connected along continuations of the fold lines H and I2 to locking tabs 26 and 21. The locking tabs 24, 25, 26, and 21 are each provided with looking shoulders 29 which are engageable in cooperable slots 30 in the side wall panels I3 and Hi. When engaged in the slots 30, the locking tabs overlie portions of the side walls [3 and I4 and hold the side walls and end walls in vertical relation to the bottom panel l0.

After the carton blank has been set up into a tray like form, the contents are placed within the tray. In the particular construction illustrated the tray is designed to accommodate rounded objects such as tomatoes, indicated in general by the letter B. The top flaps 22 and 23 are next folded into coplanar relation and the transparent covering sheet 3| is attached to the carton. The covering sheet 3| is preferably approximately equal in length to the carton blank in folded form and includes a top panel 32 which is connected at opposite ends to the top flaps 22 and 23 and a pair of side panels 33 and 34 which are connected to the side panels l3 and I4 and to the locking tab portions which overlie these side walls. Thus the end walls of the carton as well as the bottom panel thereof are not covered with transparent sheet material so that the carton may be closed with the smallest practical amount of transparent covering material.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings a pair of parallel perforated lines 35 and 36 extend in parallel relation between the fold lines I l and [2. In the construction shown these perforated lines 35 and 36 are at right angles to the fold lines. A third perforated line 31 connects the perforated lines 35 and 36 mid-way between the fold lines II and [2. Thus two fiaps 39 and 40 are produced which are defined along three edges by perforated lines and along the fourth edge by a fold line forming a part of the fold line H or l2.

Cartons of the type in question are ordinarily produced to contain a predetermined number of articles. The carton illustrated is designed to hold four tomatoes. Accordingly the fold line 35 is located at the longitudinal center of the bottom l while the fold line 36 is located approximately half the distance between the center point and the fold line [6. Thus the space between the fold lines 35 and 36 is directly beneath one of the tomatoes B. Preferably the flaps 39 and 40 are beneath an article spaced from the end of the carton. The perforations will not break apart easily enough to drop the contents from the carton when the carton is subjected to usual handling. In order to remove the carton contents it is necessary to press inwardly along the perforated lines 36 and 35 so as to separate the carton stock along these lines and then to tear upon the carton along the perforated line 31. When the carton stock is separated along all three perforated lines, the flaps 39 may fold downwardly as indicated in Figure 2, permitting the tomatoes B directly above these flaps to drop through the bottom of the carton.

The remaining contents of the carton may be easily removed by tilting the carton and sliding the various articles into position above the opening left by folding downwardly the flaps 39 and 40. As a result all of the contents of the carton may be easily and quickly removed by merely separating the carton stock along the perforated lines and dropping the contents through the opening thus produced.

I have found that my structure saves considerable time in opening the carton. While it is easily possible to pierce the transparent covering 3| with a sharp pointed instrument or knife, it is difficult to tear the material along a line of fold and the carton contents are often injured by attempting to tear open the transparent covering material. With the present arrangement the contents may be removed without severing or tearing the transparent covering in any way. As a result my structure is easier to open than others with which I am familiar.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my display carton and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claim Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A carton including side walls and a bottom panel, said side walls being connected to the bottom panel along fold lines, a transparent covering for said carton secured to said side walls and extending across the top of the carton, and leaving a portion of the bottom of the carton uncovered, a pair of spaced perforated lines in the uncovered portion of the bottom panel connecting two opposed fold lines connecting said bottompanel to opposed side walls, and a perforated line connecting said spaced perforated lines and positioned between said opposed fold lines.

CARY J. LANGFORD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

